CHESHIRE'S TOP policeman publicly backed controversial plans for a North West 'superforce' for the first time when he faced Wilmslow residents on Monday.

Chief Constable Peter Fahy said the continued status quo was not an option and Cheshire's best chance of survival was as part of a regional constabulary - rather than merging with Manchester or Liverpool.

His comments come in the wake of a government report calling for a radical shake-up of the nation's policing in a bid to be better equipped in the fight against serious crime and terrorism.

The inspector of Constabulary Denis O'Connor said only forces of over 4,000 had the make-up to be effective crime fighting units and with 2,214 officers Cheshire immediately acknowledged it was under threat.

Mr Fahy had initially sounded a note of caution warning that simply creating larger forces would not create public satisfaction.

But at an East Cheshire Police Forum in Wilmslow this week, he underlined his commitment to the grass-roots policing that has seen the welcome introduction of Wilmslow's Community Action Team while backing the bigger structure as the best way forward.

He said: "I think it's very important that we keep the Cheshire identity. It's important to local people knowing that their policing is under the Cheshire banner.

"It's my view, and the authority's, that this will be best achieved in a bigger force organisation where we keep that localised flavour and identity and achieve that greater level of expertise."

He added: "If you put us in with Manchester or Merseyside we will have to work much harder to have two organisations."

Mr Fahy said large scale cross-border efforts, teaming police resources from around the region were the only way to beat big money criminals, and that only by tackling top-tier crime would the market for the cars stolen from Wilmslow's streets diminish and drug dealing networks start to crumble.

He said: "The world of policing is getting even more complex and every time we come up with a new technique the criminals are out there trying to beat us.

"It's hard to justify in this day and age why we have 43 forces developing their own policies all in their own departments."

Answering criticism from Police Authority member Paul Findlow that he was agreeing to scrap his own job and force, Mr Fahy retorted: "My job is to make sure Cheshire residents get the best protection from organised criminals, not to protect my own job."

But he reassured residents their award-winning bobbies on the beat were here to stay.

He said: "I can give a good guarantee to the people of Wilmslow - that is your policing team and we are not going to take it away."

Forces across the country are seeking residents' views on future policing in the quick fire consultation, with concrete proposals due to be put to the public in December.